1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hand-operated dispensers of semi-solid or viscous materials, and is particularly intended for use in the decorative icing of cakes.
2. Description of Related Art
Dispensers for cake icing are well-known, and usually comprise either a muslin bag having a base opening, or a syringe-type mechanical device. Muslin bag dispensers are relatively difficult to use, and are only practical for relatively large and skilled operations such as occur in bakeries and restaurants. Syringe-type dispensers are simple, but often fail to produce satisfactory results as the device tends to be unsteady in the user's hand, and it is also difficult to produce a steady flow of icing.
Dispensing guns for mastics and sealants are also wellknown, and these usually comprise a frame having a handle and a trigger which press together to operate a piston which extrudes the material from the nozzle of a cartridge, the piston being advanced in steps by a one-way drive which includes a releasable blocking plate. This arrangement has not proved suitable for `artistic` operations such as cake icing, as the remote nozzle tends to wander and the flow of material is not only difficult to control but also tends to be non-uniform and to continue at least briefly after release of the trigger.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved but relatively simple dispenser for use primarily in the decorative icing of cakes, which is easy to operate while producing very satisfactory results.